Contents

How It Works (AKA why NOT to be afraid of FOSE)

FOSE does not edit your Fallout3.exe in any way, and as such is not dangerous to use at all. It works by running the .exe and then patching it while it is in memory in order to add in new scripting functions.

How to use FOSE with the GECK

Scripts written with these new commands must be created via the G.E.C.K. after it is launched via fose_loader. Open a command prompt window, navigate to your Fallout 3 install direcory, and type "fose_loader.exe -editor".

Alternately you can create a shortcut to fose_loader.exe, open the properties window and add "-editor" to the Target field. The normal editor can open plugins with these extended scripts, but it cannot recompile them and will give errors if you try.

NOTE: If a mod uses FOSE commands as conditionals then the GECK must be started via fose_loader.exe in order to open the mod.

Compatibility

FOSE works with the 1.1.0.35 DVD and Steam versions of Fallout 3.

FOSE works with the DVD version of Fallout 3, as well as the Steam version. It does not work with the Direct2Drive version since that .exe is encrypted. Support cannot and will not be added for the D2D version as decrypting the .exe is illegal.

Notes

FOSE is currently incompatible with Windows Live, so when running via fose_loader.exe, Live will be disabled. It appears that Live periodically checks the cryptographic signature of the Fallout runtime. If the signature doesn't validate properly, Live fails. Support is currently under investigation. It will still work fine when run without FOSE, so don't worry about issues if future features end up being tied to Live (buying DLC, etc).

With the above situation, users will need to move their save games from their user profile folder in the My Documents folder to the main Saves folder in order to access them.